Outfitters Store Damaged In Fire

Illinois 31 Closed During 3-hour Blaze At Algonquin Site

October 24, 1997|By Susan K. Bohme. Special to the Tribune.

One firefighter was injured and a section of Illinois Highway 31 was closed for over three hours late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning while firefighters fought a blaze at Beaver Dam Outfitters, 421 S. Main St., in downtown Algonquin.

Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Capt. Bruce Toussaint said firefighter Bryan Diercks was injured when a portion of the building's roof collapsed and embers fell inside his coat.

He was taken to Sherman Hospital where he was treated for minor burns and released, Toussaint said.

The fire department received calls from passersby and the building's alarm system alerted them at 9:40 p.m. to the blaze, which caused extensive damage.

When firefighters arrived two minutes later, Toussaint said, the inside of the south end of the one-story building was on fire and flames were shooting through the roof.

It took 35 firefighters from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, Huntley and Carpentersville three hours to extinguish the blaze, which was brought under control at 12:45 a.m.

Toussaint said the effort did not require "anything spectacular, just a lot of water."

"Most of the damage is on the southeast end, but there is smoke and water damage to the other parts," he said.

Toussaint said the building can be repaired, but will be closed until those repairs are made. Store owner Adam Brancamp was not available for comment.

The damaged part of the building contained archery equipment, according to Toussaint. Hunting supplies, including guns and ammunition, were housed at the other end of the building and never posed a threat to firefighters, he said.

The cause of the fire is unknown. Toussaint said an investigation is under way but could take several weeks if lab tests are needed.

Illinois 31 was closed to traffic south of Illinois Highway 62 during the fire to give crews room to work.

Police Chief Russell Laine said traffic was rerouted down Washington Street and La Fox River Drive and said the detour did not cause any big traffic problems.

"It was late at night. It wasn't like it was rush hour, that would be incredible," he said.

The only problem caused by the road closure, according to Toussaint, was that semi-trucks, which were too tall to fit under a nine-foot viaduct on La Fox River Drive, were forced to either wait or find another route.

Toussaint said he could not remember the last time Algonquin suffered a commercial fire of this magnitude.